Thursday, January 24, 2013

When Thailand Divorce Turns Deadly

Although the majority of Thailand divorce cases are resolved without serious conflicts, some divorces do culminate in tragedy. A survey of recent news stories demonstrates a number of notable Thai-foreign marriages, ending not in an amicable divorce, but rather ending in a violent murder.

In October 2012, South African Oswald Heinrich Duvel was shot dead on the head by a gun man amid ongoing child custody battle in Thai courts with his ex-wife. The gun man was later identified by media to be his ex-wife’s half brother but police however, identified the gun man as the “new husband”. Duvel’s ex-wife and her mother confessed to the murder.

In 2008, 69-year-old retired Brit engineer Ian Beeston was beaten and stabbed to death at his home in a village in the north-eastern province of Thailand. Beeston’s 42 year-old Thai wife plotted his murder so she could enjoy his money with her Thai lover. Prior to his death, Ian Beeston predicted his own death in a letter to his lawyer saying “It is just a matter of time now. I am in real fear for my own life.” Beeston’s wife and her lover were arrested and charged for his murder.

In 2005, UK national Toby Charnaud was beaten to death, barbecued and his body fed to the tigers in Kaeng Krajan national park in Thailand after he divorced his Thai wife and removed her from his will. Charnaud’s ex-Thai wife and her three accomplices were later charged and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2006.

Divorce can turn deadly. As Thailand divorce attorneys like to say, while bad people can be seen on their best behavior in criminal court, divorce often showcases good people at their worst. Taking precautionary measures is a wise course of action prior to entering situations that involve child custody or the division of money and assets.